~Toughbooktalk~

That's a very generous offer, thanks for making it. I've got a full plate this week and am not even on the computer with my hacked bios, but I should be able to post a copy here this week sometime, with a very big disclaimer naturally.

You are welcome, but it's no big deal for me. I have good luck flashing BIOS, never had a unit brick on me yet (looking around for wood to knock on).

Look forward to checking out a copy.

My feeling is the BIOS will flash but will either a.) let you use all cards or b.) let you use NO cards.

Let's hope it's the former.

My BIOS modding attempt was a collosal brick. Posting this from my mobile phone now, lol. Expect some interesting parts to come up soon on ebay.

AMI BIOS Recovery

Download the latest version or your choose version of BIOS file for your computer or motherboard from the manufacturer’s support site.
Rename the downloaded file to AMIBOOT.ROM.
Copy the file to a floppy disk.
Insert the floppy disk to the floppy drive.
Turn on the system.
The system should automatically access the floppy drive (indicated LED will light up). If no floppy access occurs press and hold Ctrl-Home to force update. Follow any on screen instruction to restore and recover the good BIOS from the floppy disk.
When 4 beeps are heard or a reboot prompt you may remove the floppy disk.
Restart the computer.

Note: If USB keyboard doesn’t work, try usins a PS/2 keyboard. Sometimes, taking out the CMOS battery to clear the configuration settings or resetting the CMOS jumper switch to clear the CMOS may help too. Only the BIOS file is needed. For AMI BIOS recovery, the floppy doesnt have to be bootable and no flash utility needs to be used.

IMPORTANT: If you have an HP BIOS and the recovery method above was
unsuccessful, please rename the recovery BIOS to HPBIOS.ROM and try
again.

http://www.bios-mods.com/bios-recovery/ ... -recovery/

http://forums.mydigitallife.info/thread ... Procedures
Has more than one method posted with tools.

Will this work with a bootable cd or usb? cf52 does not have floppy unless usb.

ADOR wrote:AMI BIOS Recovery

Download the latest version or your choose version of BIOS file for your computer or motherboard from the manufacturer’s support site.
Rename the downloaded file to AMIBOOT.ROM.
Copy the file to a floppy disk.
Insert the floppy disk to the floppy drive.
Turn on the system.
The system should automatically access the floppy drive (indicated LED will light up). If no floppy access occurs press and hold Ctrl-Home to force update. Follow any on screen instruction to restore and recover the good BIOS from the floppy disk.
When 4 beeps are heard or a reboot prompt you may remove the floppy disk.
Restart the computer.

Note: If USB keyboard doesn’t work, try usins a PS/2 keyboard. Sometimes, taking out the CMOS battery to clear the configuration settings or resetting the CMOS jumper switch to clear the CMOS may help too. Only the BIOS file is needed. For AMI BIOS recovery, the floppy doesnt have to be bootable and no flash utility needs to be used.

IMPORTANT: If you have an HP BIOS and the recovery method above was
unsuccessful, please rename the recovery BIOS to HPBIOS.ROM and try
again.

http://www.bios-mods.com/bios-recovery/ ... -recovery/

http://forums.mydigitallife.info/thread ... Procedures
Has more than one method posted with tools.

I read while researching the project they said "usb floppy" if you need one of the factory panasonic one's let me know. I still have a few left. I haven't personally tried this though. I had this bookmarked before I tried anything on one of those no-wireless 74's I have. All the above info is generic and not just for toughbooks.

"So you flashed it with a bios for one with a different graphics chip and now are surprised it doesn't work properly. Standard AMI BIOS recovery requires a floppy drive and renaming the bios file to AMIBOOT.ROM so I think you need to find the complete procedure and an USB floppy drive, it might work, no guarantee, but this is the best I can think of."

Quote from a thread I have bookmarked.

Onakriss has un bricked his CF52 mk4. The OP could PM him. Might have been Ohlip, but I am pretty sure it was Onakriss.

CD ISO burn I tried with old bios image didn't work, will keep playing with it though. I do have a USB floppy somewhere.

If you don't have one, I have a few of the original Panasonic ones.